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Sinner, savior or both?: Trump woos evangelicals, women
Former US president Donald Trump courted evangelical Christians and women at two back-to-back Washington events on Friday -- voting blocks whose loyalties to him once seemed contradictory but have now become a well-established part of his base. The legal, moral, and sexual escapades of the scandal-plagued frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination have earned him indictments, impeachments, and public scorn in many quarters. But support among his devotees remains strong. "As a woman, I understand that he can be offensive," Joan Horswell, a 76-year-old retired nurse from Texas, told AFP. But "personally, I like him," she said at the "Pray Vote Stand" summit, put on by the conservative Christian group Family Research Council. Something of a rock star among white evangelical Protestants, 84 percent of whom voted for him in 2020, Trump also holds his own among women, having won 44 percent of their vote in the last election, according to the Pew Research Center. "This election will decide whether America will be ruled by Marxist, fascist, communist tyrants who want to smash the Judeo-Christian heritage," Trump, 77, said at the summit, "or whether America will be saved by God-fearing freedom-loving patriots like all of the people in this room." "Is he a flawed individual? Sure. But most Christians will say, we are all sinners. Jesus is not on the ballot," said William Wan, a 60-year-old Catholic engineer from Winter Garden, Florida who attended the summit. Still, Trump may strike many as offensive. He was found liable in a civil trial in May for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll in 1996. He's also set to go on trial for allegedly paying election-eve hush money to a porn star. And he was heard boasting of groping women's genitals when the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape was published, just one month before the 2016 presidential election. But lots of conservative evangelicals believe he "is the perfect man for the job precisely because he does not reflect Christian values," Kristin Du Mez, a history professor at Calvin University, told AFP. Trump's supporters "certainly like what he's done for them. But I think that many are also very comfortable with how he's done it," Du Mez said. She points to his take-no-prisoners approach in getting conservative Christians what they wanted, from ending the federal right to an abortion to recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Her book "Jesus and John Wayne" chronicles the rise of rugged masculinity ideology within white evangelical Christianity. Penny Nance, CEO of conservative Christian women's group Concerned Women for America, echoed this dogma when she introduced Trump before he spoke across town at a leadership summit for her advocacy group on Friday. "Conservative women are not looking for a pastor or a husband for president, we are looking for a bodyguard," she told the audience to cheers. "Someone willing to stick the knife in his teeth and swim the moat to our rescue from those who threaten our safety and our freedom." Melissa Deckman, CEO of the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute, points out that while some political observers had initially been surprised by the number of women willing to vote for Trump, not all women see eye-to-eye on issues of sex and sexism. "American women are far from monolithic when it comes to attitudes about gender dynamics," she told AFP in an interview. Much stronger man Trump's former vice president Mike Pence -- who is also running for the Republican 2024 nomination and spoke at the "Pray Vote Stand" summit -- brandishes authentic evangelical bona fides as a deeply religious long-time churchgoer who has described himself as "a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order." Yet only five percent of surveyed white, evangelical potential Republican primary voters said they would choose him as their nominee. Trump meanwhile would receive 56 percent of their vote, according to a July 2023 New York Times/Siena Poll. "He is the clearest kind of white evangelical poster boy out there," said Du Mez. "They might want (Pence) as a Sunday school teacher; that's not who they want in the Oval Office." Horswell, the retired nurse, thinks "Mike Pence is OK," but adds, "I think at this point in our government, we need a much stronger man." For conservative Christians, Trump's accomplishments as a "strong man" are many. He appointed three of the Supreme Court's nine justices, creating a bench that went on to overturn abortion rights. In 2020 he became the first sitting president to attend the annual anti-abortion March for Life rally in Washington. He has repeatedly expressed his opinion that gender is biological, siding against trans inclusion in women's sports and against gender-affirming care for minors. Any personality flaws take a back seat said Deckman: "The moral character, I think, matters less in some ways than what a candidate is willing to stand for and fight for." As Wan, the engineer from Florida, put it, "Many Christians would argue we're electing a president, we are not electing a chief theologian." The post Sinner, savior or both?: Trump woos evangelicals, women appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2015 Vatican decree on Mediatrix not binding!
The claims of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and the Vatican that Pope Pius XII had officially decreed that the Mediatrix apparitions were of “no supernatural character or origin” is not exactly true. If it is proven not true, the Papal “decree” is not binding and the faithful are allowed not to follow the decree, based on Canon Law. The CBCP released Circular 23-04 dated 14 July 2023 — quoting the official Dicastery document Protocol 226/1949 — stating that “in 1951, the Dicastery, the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy See, after due examination of the documents made available, declared the alleged apparitions in Lipa (of Our Lady Mediatrix of All Grace) to have no supernatural character or origin, a decision directly approved by Pope Pius XII.” There has been no document in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, the official Vatican publication, that said that Pope Pius XII had indeed approved the decree. It was never formalized into an official “promulgation,” which is a requirement of Canon Law, to be binding. In other words, the Dicastery Decree is official, but not the Papal Decree. Protocol 226/1949, authored by the Dicastery, did not clarify that the Pope Pius XII Decree had not yet been official and binding in a formal promulgation. Then apostolic administrator Bishop Rufino Santos said, in his decree of 12 April 1951, that he was still awaiting the Vatican decision regarding Lipa, contradicting Protocol 226/1949 that said a decision had been made. I, therefore, challenge the CBCP and the current Dicastery to produce documentary evidence that there was indeed an existing official Papal Decree of Pope Pius XII in fulfillment of the Canon Law ruling. The decree of Pope Pius XII is important because it was the basis for the recent order of Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera to suppress Mediatrix activities in all churches in Lipa. “Vatican directs CBCP to cease 75th celebration of Lipa apparition” (CNN Philippines 28 July 2023). The CNN article reported that the Vatican reaffirmed its 1951 decree, precisely the questionable Pope Pius XII decree. Only the Pope has the authority to confirm and declare a Marian apparition. If the 1951 Pope Pius decree is now in question, so also are all the recent bans and suppressions of Mediatrix activities in Lipa. The added sentence reads, “The Confraternity of the Mediatrix of All Grace is a movement with dozens of chapters nationwide.” Confraternity members report that a Filipino priest very close to Pope Francis approached him to forward the sentiments of the Mediatrix devotees. He said the Pope simply passed the ball to the Dicastery. And since the Dicastery is vehemently anti-Mediatrix, it was a dead end, a failed attempt. Many Confraternity members were disappointed. The Confraternity has a nationwide presence, although its membership keeps moving dynamically forward and backward. There are chapters whose memberships are strong and keep growing, but there are some whose memberships have decreased. The dynamic chapters include Cebu, Iloilo, Guimaras, Kidapawan, Davao City, General Trias, and Jaro, to name a few. However, the Confraternity is different from the devotees. Confraternity members are essentially professionals, educated and articulate. They are well organized and subject to meetings and activities. The ordinary Mediatrix devotees are peasants, farmers, and fishermen, and are simply humble churchgoers, not so organized. But there are so many who have a strong faith and devotion to Mama Mary in their hearts. They do not even know the issues in the conflict. Their devotion is based on their hearts, not their minds. When the entire Philippine Church was held in submission by the Vatican under threat of excommunication or alienation, it was the laity that took up the cudgels, out of reach of the clutches of the Vatican and the CBCP. The Confraternity distributed hundreds of life-size Mediatrix statues nationwide. They laid the infrastructure for devotion to spread like wildfire to the sea of marginal devotees. It is estimated from Confraternity reports that Mediatrix devotees are broadly around four million nationwide. Herein lies the victory of the Virgin over the Vatican. Despite 70 long years of suppression and repression since the 1951 apparitions to this very day, Mediatrix devotion proliferates. The Vatican and the CBCP have succeeded in silencing Filipino nuns, priests, bishops, and cardinals but they are helpless against the true Marians among the masses. Even the suppressed Church prelates still believe in the silence of their hearts in the Mediatrix. Suppression has ironically strengthened the Filipino Marians. The Confraternity says it has devised a simple strategy. They will suffer and ignore the suppression without opposition, and discern the will of the Lord and Our Lady, and focus on divine messages, teachings, and pray, pray, pray, especially for the Pope, the Vatican and the CBCP. *** eastwindreplyctr@gmail.com The post 2015 Vatican decree on Mediatrix not binding! appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NTF-ELCAC gives Church a seat
The Catholic Church will play a more significant role in the anti-insurgency effort through a recalibrated National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, or NTF-ELCAC, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said yesterday. The task force will now have the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs as a member. “We welcome the CBCP through its Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs to the NTF-ELCAC Executive Committee and we look forward to working with them in pursuing peace and development in all parts of the country, especially in conflict-affected areas,” Año said. The task force indicated an openness to suggestions from the Church in adopting “moral and ethical approaches in addressing the communist insurgency,” as cited by CBCP president and Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David in a recent statement. “We are opening the door of NTF-ELCAC to the Church because it has an important role to play in ending violence and terrorism in the country,” Año said. “For more than 50 years, we have lived with the scourge of the communist armed conflict. With peace now in sight, the Church has an important role to play in ensuring peace and development in the long term,” he added. With the CBCP in the NTF-ELCAC, Año believes that concerns raised by the Church or by cause-oriented groups supported by them could be immediately addressed. “Because of this development, the Church will have more opportunity to relay its concerns, since its mandate is to act as a liaison of the CBCP to the government,” he said, citing the attendance of Fr. Jerome Secillano at the NTF-ELCAC executive committee meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang on Friday. Año reiterated that the task force’s main mandate is to formulate “whole-of-nation” policies to end armed conflict in the country. “CBCP’s membership in the task force ensures a whole-of-nation’s participation because the religious sector is an important component of the nation,” he said. Intervention in influenced areas Año sees the CBCP making significant contributions to the development of areas previously under the influence of the New People’s Army, as well as facilitating social inclusivity in the pursuit of peace. “Given that we are now on the road to total victory, it’s necessary that we recalibrate the way we do things and the entry of the CBCP to the NTF-ELCAC is one of the changes we have implemented under the Marcos administration,” he said. More rebels rejoin society NTF-ELCAC also expressed optimism the government can sustain its peace-building effort to encourage more rebels to reintegrate into mainstream society. At a forum on Saturday, NTF-ELCAC director Alexander Umpar said that in 2023, a total of 959 villages cleared of the insurgency were included in the Barangay Development Program or BDP, an initiative that aims to bring sustainable development programs to conflict-prone and conflict-affected communities. Under the BDP, each village recipient receives a package of programs, activities, and projects worth a maximum of P20 million. BDP beneficiaries in 2021 and 2022 numbered 822 and 1,406, respectively, he said. Umpar said the NTF-ELCAC is confident that by 2028, it would have attained its goal of achieving lasting peace and development in areas that are vulnerable to armed conflict. “‘By 2028, it is about sustaining the momentum of NTF-ELCAC gains with regard to the dismantling of guerrilla fronts, the reintegration of former rebels, and most of all, building resiliency for our communities under the ambit of good governance toward unity, peace and development,” he said. The government, he said, has dismantled 69 of 89 guerrilla fronts since the creation of the task force in 2018. One of the 20 remaining guerrilla fronts, he said, is active while 19 others had weakened. “‘When we say strategic victory, this (because) of the 19 weakened guerrilla fronts and only one is left to be confronted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” he said. “There are still concerns about the armed groups but they are no longer able to initiate an armed struggle or to topple our government. So, that’s the strategic victory,” Umpar said. On the other hand, NTF-ELCAC director Jose Descallar urged rebels to give up and join the government in its goal of transforming the country into a “new Philippines.” He said the military could shift its focus to “external threats,” once the government is able to address the local insurgency. Meanwhile, Director Emmanuel Santos of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity said the conduct of localized peace engagements has been proven to be the “most effective” approach in addressing the communist insurgency. “We’re localizing the engagement so we will be closer to the people to make them feel that the government is really here,” Santos said. He added, however, that there should be “clear directions” to ensure the full reintegration of FRs into mainstream society. The post NTF-ELCAC gives Church a seat appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CBCP clarifies its rep’s role in anti-Red task force
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Friday clarified its association with the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), after its head announced earlier that the bishops now had a representative in the task force. The CBCP also said it would take up “moral, ethical approaches” in tackling with The post CBCP clarifies its rep’s role in anti-Red task force appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Philippine director puts women at the ‘heart’ of drug war film
Widows and mothers are at the "heart" of a gritty documentary by Philippine filmmaker Sheryl Rose Andes, who turns the camera on women left behind by former president Rodrigo Duterte's deadly drug war. More than 6,000 people were killed in police anti-drug raids during Duterte's six-year term, which ended in June 2022, government data shows. Rights groups estimate the real figure was in the tens of thousands, mostly poor men living in slums who died at the hands of law enforcers, hitmen and vigilantes. Many of the victims had wives or partners and mothers, who have had to deal with the heartbreak and hardship of losing a loved one and often the family's main breadwinner. In her new documentary "Maria", Andes follows two of these women, Mary Ann Domingo and Maria Deparine, as they struggle to survive and find justice. "We have to register that this thing really happened. And now people need to see what has happened to their families," Andes told AFP in an interview. Andes said she was inspired to make the film out of fear that Filipinos could forget, or never learn, about the brutal period in their nation's history. She got a "huge wake-up call" when one of her students in a filmmaking course she teaches at Mapua University in Manila expressed surprise that the drug war was "really happening". That moment in 2020 -- four years into Duterte's drug war, which made headlines around the world and sparked an international investigation into alleged human rights abuses -- left her aghast. Three years later, "Maria" is the first full-length documentary to compete in the country's independent film festival Cinemalaya, which opened August 4. "Maria" -- a common name for women in the Catholic-majority Philippines -- focuses on the harrowing experiences of Domingo and Deparine, which Andes says gives the film "heart and emotion". The documentary shows the women doing menial jobs to support their families and making tearful visits to the tombs of their loved ones. "I zoomed in on the details because it should not just be about numbers," said Andes. "This is a story about women. I don't want this to be remembered as a drug war story." 'It is very difficult' Deparine lost two of her sons within days of each other in September 2016. One was with a local drug dealer when they were abducted by unidentified men. They were both shot in the head and their bodies dumped under a bridge. Six days later, a second son was arrested by police at the home of a drug-dealing couple. He was later found dead under another bridge. Since their deaths, Deparine, who works in a fish cannery and voted for Duterte in 2016, has moved multiple times with her husband and surviving son as they struggle to make enough money to pay the rent. In the same month Deparine lost her sons, Domingo's partner and teenage son were killed in a nighttime police raid while the family slept in their shanty home. Later, she and three of her surviving children had to flee for fear of their safety. Lawyer Kristina Conti, who is helping Domingo seek justice for their deaths, said the four officers who allegedly shot dead her partner and son had been freed on bail and were back in uniform after serving short suspensions. That's despite the men facing a homicide trial. "As a mother who lost her partner, it is very difficult. At times I just wanted to give up, and at times I actually did," Domingo, 49, told AFP in an interview. "This (film) is our chance to show to the world what happened to us." 'Political stand' Catholic priest Flaviano Villanueva, who appears in "Maria", said widows, mothers and grandmothers endured "unimaginable" hardships to keep their remaining family members alive. Villanueva, who runs a support group for the families of the drug war's dead, said there was a "social stigma" that led to discrimination against those left behind. Orphans were "bullied" at school and widows excluded from government assistance because "her husband got killed for being a drug addict", he told AFP. Another woman who features prominently in the film is former Philippines vice president Leni Robredo, a vocal critic of the drug war who is seen consoling Domingo and Deparine. Robredo ran in the 2022 presidential election but lost by a huge margin to the son and namesake of the country's late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who has continued the drug war. Andes, who spent a decade working for a non-government organisation before turning her hand to filmmaking, refuses to shy away from difficult subjects. She said documentaries were a "powerful tool" in retelling history, but she feared that Filipinos preferred "escapism" and were not prepared to face grim reality. Despite Duterte stepping down more than a year ago and Marcos Jr vowing to take the drug war in a new direction, Andes said the killings "never stopped". "A documentary takes a political stand," she said. "We are not fiction and we are not here to titillate." The post Philippine director puts women at the ‘heart’ of drug war film appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Eastern Samar church up in arms vs mining
BORONGAN CITY — Over a thousand parishioners under the Diocese of Borongan marched to the streets for a “Jericho Walk” on Monday morning to air grievances against the continued mining operations in the historic islands of Homonhon and Manicani in the southern town of Guiuan. The prayer rally, led by Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez, was composed mainly of members of various pastoral organizations from different parishes under the diocese, students of catholic schools, seminarians, nuns and church workers. Fr. James Abella, head of Borongan’s diocesan social action center, said the church is alarmed by the escalating mining activities in the whole Samar Island especially in Guiuan. “It is also our way to call for action to protect the environment and the rights of communities in Homonhon and Manicani,” Abella said. The “Jericho Walk” started at the Borongan Capitol grounds and ended at the Cathedral Parish of the Nativity of Our Lady with a Mass where Varquez was the main presider. In his pastoral message, Varquez said mining operations have worsened the state of poverty due to its impact on marine ecosystems, livelihoods and their health and well-being. Varquez also appealed to the provincial and municipal boards as well as village leaders in affected communities not to endorse mining applications. He also asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to cancel all mining permits in Samar island. “Let us not be blind to the current horrific effects of mining operations on our main islands, islets, radically scarring landscapes and seascapes,” said the bishop. He stressed that instead of mining, the government should promote agri-ecological tourism in these islands, saying that while mining only contributes 1.10 percent to the country’s gross domestic product, tourism’s share is at 5 to 6 percent. The post Eastern Samar church up in arms vs mining appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
LGBTQI+ members trustworthy, says survey
A recent survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations revealed that most Filipino adults believe that gays and lesbians possess the same level of trustworthiness as any other Filipino. The private pollster’s First Quarter 2023 Social Weather Survey, which took place from 26 to 29 March coincided with the upcoming nationwide pride marches, which aim to celebrate the freedom to love and advocate for the enactment of the sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression or the SOGIE Equality bill. According to the survey, an overwhelming majority of 79 percent, approximately 4 out of 5 Filipino adults, agreed that “members of LGBTQI+ or Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex, are just as trustworthy as any other Filipino” and this figure demonstrates a significant increase compared to a previous SWS survey conducted in September 2013, where only 67 percent of respondents agreed with the same statement. Regarding whether gay individuals or lesbians have made substantial contributions to the progress of society, 73 percent of respondents agreed. In the 2013 survey, only 54 percent of participants agreed with this statement. In addition to the favorable findings regarding attitudes towards gays and lesbians, the survey also revealed that 43 percent of the participants believed that sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, were limited to individuals within that community. Furthermore, the poll indicated that 40 percent of respondents desired for their gay or lesbian family members to undergo a transformation and become heterosexual individuals. Additionally, the survey disclosed that 26 percent of participants held the belief that being gay or lesbian is contagious. Meanwhile, many Filipino adults agreed that “Muslims are equally trustworthy to any other Filipino.” This year’s SWS survey revealed that about 65 percent of Filipinos agreed with the said notion. This is a high jump from September 2013’s 44 percent figure or not even half of the respondents. Based on the 2020 census by the Philippine Statistics Authority, approximately 6.4 percent of the Philippine population identifies as Muslim. As a religious minority within a predominantly Catholic country, some Filipino Muslims have faced challenges such as anti-Muslim comments from politicians and micro-aggressions from non-Muslim individuals. The survey asked 1,200 Filipino adults nationwide about their perceptions about gays, lesbians and Muslims in the country. The post LGBTQI+ members trustworthy, says survey appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
SWS: LGBTQ+ trust levels now equal with straight, cisgender
A recent survey conducted by private pollster Social Weather Stations reveals that most Filipino adults believe that gays and lesbians possess the same level of trustworthiness as any other Filipino. The private pollster's First Quarter 2023 Social Weather Survey, which took place from 26 March to 29 March, coincided with the upcoming nationwide pride marches, which aim to celebrate the freedom to love and advocate for the enactment of the sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression (SOGIE) Equality bill. SWS asked 1,200 Filipino adults nationwide about their perceptions about gays, lesbians, and Muslims in the country. According to the survey, an overwhelming majority of 79 percent, approximately 4 out of 5 Filipino adults, agreed that "gays or lesbians are just as trustworthy as any other Filipino." This figure demonstrates a significant increase compared to a previous SWS survey conducted in September 2013, where only 67 percent of respondents agreed with the same statement. Regarding whether gay individuals or lesbians have made substantial contributions to the progress of society, 73 percent of respondents agreed. In the 2013 survey, only 54 percent of participants agreed with this statement. In addition to the favorable findings regarding attitudes towards gays and lesbians, the survey results revealed that 43 percent of the participants believed that sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, were limited to individuals within that community. Furthermore, the poll indicated that 40 percent of respondents desired for their gay or lesbian family members to undergo a transformation and become heterosexual individuals. Additionally, the survey disclosed that 26 percent of participants held the belief that being gay or lesbian is contagious. Muslims equally trustworthy Meanwhile, many Filipino adults agreed that "Muslims are equally trustworthy to any other Filipino." This year's SWS survey revealed that about 65 percent of Filipinos agreed with the said notion. This is a high jump from September 2013's 44 percent figure or not even half of the respondents. Based on the 2020 census by the Philippine Statistics Authority, approximately 6.4 percent of the Philippine population identifies as Muslim. As a religious minority within a predominantly Catholic country, some Filipino Muslims have faced challenges such as anti-Muslim comments from politicians and microaggressions from non-Muslim individuals. The post SWS: LGBTQ+ trust levels now equal with straight, cisgender appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pope Francis appoints Fil-Am economist to Vatican post
MANILA-Pope Francis has appointed a Filipino-American economist as part of the financial intelligence and anti-money laundering unit of the Vatican.According to an article posted on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP.....»»
Fil-Am economist itinalaga ni Pope Francis para manungkulan sa Vatican
MANILA, Philippines- Itinalaga ni Pope Francis ang isang Filipino-American economist bilang parte ng kanyang financial intelligence at anti-money laundering unit sa Vatican. Ayon sa artikulo na naka-post sa Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news website nitong Biyernes, pinangalanan si Dr. Roberto Mariano bilang board member ng Supervisory and Financial Information Authority (ASIF). Iniluklok […] The post Fil-Am economist itinalaga ni Pope Francis para manungkulan sa Vatican appeared first on REMATE ONLINE......»»
Residents put up anti-NPA placards in different areas of Mandaue City
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines – The Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) is thanking local residents for their anti-insurgency initiative by posting anti-NPA placards in their localities. Police Colonel Jonathan Abella, MCPO Director, in a phone interview, said the city has been tagged as a white area. According to Abella, a white area means there is no […] The post Residents put up anti-NPA placards in different areas of Mandaue City appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
President Biden: The second Catholic US president
On Jan. 20, 1961, John F. Kennedy made history when he became the first Catholic president of the United States a seemingly impossible feat because of the strong “anti-Catholic prejudice” in America at the time......»»
Religious groups fear being tagged as terrorist, file 30th case vs anti-terror law at SC
MANILA, Philippines – Fearing that their efforts of protecting the less fortunate and preserving a human being’s dignity could be misunderstood as a “terroristic activities,” a church organization has joined the still-growing list of petitions against the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020. “The Christian conviction is founded on the long-held tradition of the Catholic social […] The post Religious groups fear being tagged as terrorist, file 30th case vs anti-terror law at SC appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Panelo: ATA has no chilling effect
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and other NGOs and human rights groups have denounced the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). They have also petitioned the Supreme Court to declare the law unconstitutional......»»
CBCP hits anti-terror law, calls for prayers
MANILA, Philippines — The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is calling for prayers amid the recent signing of the highly controversial Anti-Terror Act of 2020, saying the return of warrantless detention is reminiscent of the arrest, search and seizure orders during martial law. In a pastoral letter and call to prayer signed on […] The post CBCP hits anti-terror law, calls for prayers appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Ateneo, La Salle leaders renew call to junk anti-terror bill
The heads of some of the biggest Catholic educational institutions in the country issued another joint statement Friday, reiterating their strong opposition to the proposed anti-terrorism legislation......»»
Philippines announces decisive measures amid tensions with China
Manila [Philippines], March 28 (ANI): Amid the escalating tensions in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr has announced decisive measures to protect his country's sovereignty and maritime rights while ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Marcos, known as Bongbong, said that the measures, aimed at addressing what he said is the "open, unabating, and illegal" actions by China's Coast.....»»
China urges ROK to stay prudent on South China Sea issue: Chinese FM
BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- China urges the Republic of Korea (ROK) to stay prudent when it comes to the South China Sea issue, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday. Lin made the remarks at a regular press briefing when responding to a media query about ROK Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's biased and unfactual comments on the South China Sea issue over the past few days. "China.....»»
Philippines’s Marcos pledges action in response to China’s ‘dangerous attacks’
President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines has issued a strong statement in response to recent confrontations in the South China Sea, stating that the country.....»»
Akbayan to Sara: You don’t have to be president to speak vs China
MANILA, Philippines — Party-list group Akbayan said on Thursday that Vice President Sara Duterte does not have to be a president of the country for her to call out China’s intrusive actions over the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Empathy and a moral backbone is just what it takes to stand up with fisherfolk and frontline.....»»